Targeted measures in regular COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control should be further enhanced, and research and development of vaccine, drug and testing kits should be stepped up, according to those present at a meeting held on June 4.
Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the leading group on novel coronavirus prevention and control, presided over the meeting. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the leading group, also attended.
Those at the meeting called for preventing risks of relapse at home and imported cases from abroad. Capacities of containment and treatment should be improved, and a sound public health system should be put in place at a quicker pace. Resumption of businesses and schools will be accelerated, with an effort to ensure full recovery of the economy and society.
The national two sessions this year were successful thanks to thorough epidemic control work, according to those present at the meeting.
Although the country has returned to a state of overall stability now regarding the COVID-19 epidemic, in the last two weeks a few places still reported occasional cases. Also, a number of asymptomatic patients still exist nationwide, and imported cases still cannot be ignored.
At the meeting, several areas were stressed as being of vital importance, including continuing regular epidemic control measures, strengthening medical management of asymptomatic patients and releasing information about the epidemic in an open and transparent manner.
It was also emphasized that local governments should carefully review regular control practices, make periodic, optimizing adjustments to control measures and fully implement them, since work and life have returned to normal and international exchanges might increase.
The State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism should further guide industries like tourism, culture and sports in resuming work and operation.
As schools are fully re-opening at a quick pace, local governments must urge schools to strictly carry out campus epidemic control methods and guides, tailor particular measures for the conduction of high school and college entrance examinations with all details considered, enhance campus emergency drills and get prevention materials and personnel ready.
Through efforts from all sides, China’s nucleic acid test ability has seen continuous upgrades, and now the country could offer tests for more than 3 million people per day, according to those at the meeting.
Tests for groups who should be tested, and groups who volunteer to be tested should be well arranged, and test ability shortages in disease control institutions and hospitals in some regions should be made up as soon as possible.
Production of quick testing reagents and mobile test equipment should also be increased and sped up, to facilitate tests on more occasions.
More effort should be made to cope with emergency response in disease prevention and control, increase the medical treatment ability and prevention supply inventory.
Scientific research and breakthroughs in vaccines and drugs must be further promoted, and international cooperation is also needed. Vaccine research and tests have achieved success so far, and clinical tests should progress positively in accordance with science, laws and regulations. Breakthroughs in vaccine research should be made as soon as possible to provide strong security for people’s health.
Members of the leading group Ding Xuexiang, Sun Chunlan, Huang Kunming, Cai Qi, Wang Yi, Xiao Jie and Zhao Kezhi also attended the meeting.
